ALT Poster for the event Money talks Book launch event for Money: The Inside Story by Rupal Patel and Jack Leslie Tuesday 16 June 2026 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm At the Resolution Foundation.

ALT Figure 4 shows, almost half (47 per cent) of arrears identified in 2024-25 were ‘self-corrected’ and so attracted no financial penalty at all.[8] Labour market enforcement orders and undertakings are also used very rarely: in 2024-25, there were only 25 open LMEUs, and no LMEOs had been used since 2022-23.

ALT Ruth Curtice, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: “The 13 million working-age families across the poorest half of the country are widely courted by politicians. But despite working harder they have seen their disposable incomes stagnate, as they grapple with shrinking pay rises, higher costs and a growing struggle with their health and care needs. “The stalling of disposable incomes means that many families’ hopes of home ownership have evaporated and work is not a guaranteed a route out of poverty. “If politicians want to regain the trust of the families of Unsung Britain, they need to get the economy growing again so that pay rises pick up, while also putting their specific needs at the heart of efforts to turn the country around. If they fail to do so, the economic malaise facing Unsung Britain risks fuelling further political disruption.”

ALT Chart showing proportion of non pensioner low to middle income families in different tenure types

ALT In 1994-95, three-in-ten families in Unsung Britain had a mortgage. But by 2023-24, renting privately was the most common tenure (29 per cent), with the proportion living with parents (15 per cent) almost as high as the share of mortgaged families (17 per cent).

ALT Chart showing employment rate for adults aged 20-64

ALT Chart showing change in various component of income and mean equivalised disposable household income